Author: Shayna Rosenberg

A Taste of Torah – Parshas Re’eh

Written by: Rabbi Avrohom S. Moller

It Isn’t Easy to Commit

When the Torah discusses the mitzvah of tzedakah-charity, the possuk says, “כי בגלל הדבר הזה” – as a result of this matter (your generosity) Hashem will bless you in all of your endeavors. Rashi quoting the Sifri notes the choice of the word “davar,” which literally means thing or matter, can also mean speech or word. Rashi therefore explains that one is rewarded not only for the charity he does but also for the words he said when he made the commitment. What is the importance of the words; don’t the actions speak much louder than the words?

We can understand this in one of three ways. Firstly, the Torah is teaching us the importance of inspiring others when we do a mitzvah. The Mishna in Avos (5:13) says that one who desires to give and that others should give as well is a chasid, a pious person. Our sages instruct us to publicize those who do a mitzvah in order to inspire others to follow suit. (See Yoma 31a.) This does not contradict the principle of being modest and humble in our service of Hashem if our public participation in a mitzvah is predicated on the intent to get others to join and not for self- aggrandizement.

A second explanation is that making a commitment raises the level of difficulty in doing the mitzvah.  Once a pledge is made, we’ve obligated ourselves to do something and that is uncomfortable. Our sages teach us that one who does things because they are obligated gets more reward than one who does things voluntarily beyond what is required of them. This may seem counterintuitive, but it is an important insight into our humanity. We like to be heroes; we don’t like to pay bills. Once we make a commitment, it is harder to stick to it and fulfill what we said.

A third explanation is that when we make a public commitment, we are avoiding the pitfall of cynicism. Often, when people are asked to participate in a worthy cause, they have many reasons to say no. It could be lack of trust of the leadership, non-belief that effort will be successful, feeling that we have a better plan, etc. We are wonderful “armchair quarterbacks” when it comes to communal issues. When we commit to a communal cause, we are avoiding that bad behavior and resisting the cynical response that robs us of communal initiative.

All three of these lessons are helpful when we speak to our children about getting involved. We should do mitzvos with the hope that others will join us. We should make commitments because we become obligated by them, and we should value being part of worthwhile communal endeavors.

A Taste of Torah – Parshas Eikev

Written by: Rabbi Mordechai Raizman

Leadership at Its Best

In this week’s Torah portion Ekev, G-d tells Moshe to relay the following message to the Jewish people. “What does G-d ask of you but to fear Him?” The Talmud analyzes this statement and makes the following observation. In using the term what, it implies that the matter is quite simple. With that, the Talmud wonders is fear of G-d a small and trivial thing? To truly have an awe of G-d in one’s everyday life is the work of a lifetime. Therefore, how can it be phrased in such a manner that makes it seem like it is an easy thing to attain?

The Talmud goes on to answer that yes, for Moshe, to have an awe of G-d is a small thing. However, we are now left wondering how this answers the question asked above. G-d commanded Moshe to relay this message to the Jewish people. This wasn’t a command to Moshe alone. Yes, it may be easy for him, but it is certainly not easy for the rest of Bnei Yisroel.

There is a great lesson in leadership to be learned from this. A leader leads by example. If a leader exemplifies and demonstrates a characteristic trait to the masses and makes it look easily attainable, the masses will follow his lead. It is true, on our own, to attain the level of fear and awe of G-d may be an arduous task. However, now, that we, the Jewish  people, experienced Moshe’s leadership, we realize that to relate to G-d, fear G-d and to live an inspired life of observing Torah and mitzvos is attainable.

Having a role model from which to learn is a great lesson for all of us as parents, educators, lay leaders, etc. We all need to have special individuals in our lives that enable us to strive for more than we could have imagined in our own spiritual growth. We must then, in turn, try to become role models for the next generation.

A Taste of Torah – Parshas Vaeschanan

Written by: Rabbi Avrohom S. Moller

  נַחֲמוּ נַחֲמוּ עַמִּי יֹאמַר אֱלֹהֵיכֶם

This week’s haftarah, the first of seven which comfort us after Tisha B’Av, opens with the sentence, “Be comforted, be comforted, oh my nation. Speak to the heart of Yerushalayim and call to her (encourage her) since she was punished doubly for her sins.” The Midrash (Eicha ch. 1) notes that Yerusahalayim is consoled doubly to compensate for her being punished doubly.

What is the meaning of a double consolation?  Rav Chayim Shmuelevitz ZT’L (Rosh Yeshiva in Mir, Poland and Yerushalayim, 1902-1979) explains that once the redemption comes, we will be able to understand that the redemption was actually staged in the very worst of times. The seeds of redemption are sown when we are at our lowest ebb. This is the meaning of the well-known Gemara that teaches that Mashiach was born at the time of the destruction.

Reb Chaim also quotes the Gemara at the end of Makkos which related an incident in which Rabbi Akiva and his colleagues passed the ruins of the Bais HaMikdash and saw a fox exiting the place where the holy of holies had stood. Rabbi Akiva’s friends began to weep in response to the terrible desolation and desecration they were witnessing. However, Rabbi Akiva was smiling. When he was asked for an explanation, he said that the same prophet who said that Zion would be ploughed over because of our sins, also said that old hoary men and women each one holding his/her staff will yet again sit in the streets of Yershalayim. Now that we witnessed the fulfillment of the first part of this prophecy, we can surely anticipate the second part. How did this answer assuage the pain of the destruction?

Rav Chaim explains that the reconstructed Bais HaMikdash and the restoration of our people to our land is going to be on a much higher level of existence than we had in the past. The staffs held by the old people described in the prophecy symbolize abilities that far surpass what old people can do today. The destruction paved the way for this new existence and that is part of the consolation for our people. While the pain for our people is very real and justified, it is still mitigated with the knowledge that it isn’t for naught, it is purposeful and it lays the foundation for a brighter future.

The Jewish people have always overcome today’s adversity with the belief that tomorrow will be better. That isn’t enough. We must not only have faith in Hashem that he is just and kind. We must also have trust in his judgement. We must believe that he is always creating a brighter future with today’s events. We will be able to fully understand this at the time of redemption when the world will reach a perfect state and we will have the double consolation of being redeemed and knowing that our troubles were actually for our own good.

A Taste of Torah – Parshas Devarim

Written by: Rabbi Mordechai Raizman

From Exile to Redemption

This coming week on Tisha B’Av (the fast day remembering the destruction of the Temples) we read from the Kinnos. The Kinnos are a compilation of writings that reflect on the many tragic times in our history during our long exile. There is one kinnah that compares and contrasts the stark difference between when we left Mitzrayim (Egypt) and when we left Yerushalayim (Jerusalem). When leaving Mitzrayim, we were surrounded by a clear hand of G-d. However, when leaving Yerushalayim, we felt all alone. Throughout this kinnah many differences are pointed out between the two events, and at the end of each corresponding contrast the same line is repeated, “This is what happened when we left Mitzrayim; this is what happened when we left Yerushalayim.” A natural question arises: Why the constant comparison between these two experiences? It is clear that we understand the key difference – one was freedom and redemption while the other was exile.

The commentators tell us that the root of the word Mitzrayim is maytzar which means narrow, confined or restricted. On the other hand, the word Yerushalayim is composed of two parts yeru shalem which means to see the completeness in everything. These words deliver a simple message we tend to overlook in our daily lives. Often we are caught up in our narrow and restricted worlds. We get lost in our personal lives and daily challenges and lose sight of the complete picture, forgetting about the people around us, the rest of Klal Yisroel, our brothers and sisters wherever they are in the world. We must realize that we are one family. To transition from exile to redemption we need to leave Mitzrayim, the narrow place, and change our mindset to Yerushalayim, the completeness of all of us as a people.

During these challenging times in the world with anti-Semitism on the rise, we have rallied together in so many ways as a nation and a people. This message is spreading. We need to keep it going constantly. Whenever we are faced with a situation when a fellow Jew is in pain, we have to look beyond ourselves and reach out to help in whatever way we can. With that mindset and change of attitude, we will merit the rebuilding of the Temple. May it be speedily in our days.

A Taste of Torah – Parshas Matos – Masei

Written by: Rabbi Avrohom S. Moller

These Are the Stations of the Jewish People

This week’s second parsha, Massei, begins with a listing of the 42 places that the Jewish people camped in during their journey from Egypt to Eretz Yisroel. It begins with Raamses in Egypt and ends with the encampment on the plains of Moav overlooking Jericho. What is the purpose of this listing? Rashi gives the explanation that it is a retrospective reflection on all of the travails that our people endured during their stay in the desert, and that in spite of those difficulties, Hashem stayed with us and pulled us through.

As a people, we have endured much travail and barely survived many of them. Our survival is a testimony to G-d’s covenant with His chosen people and the tenacity of the Jewish spirit. The challenges to our existence and our eventual triumph over these challenges are not the entire purpose of these difficulties. When Hashem places His people in any setting, it has many positive outcomes for us as a people. Every station that we have been placed in has provided us with opportunities to learn about ourselves and to integrate new abilities into our national character. An example of this is the Spanish period where we developed the field of Jewish philosophy, poetry and Hebrew grammar. Sure, there were grave threats to our spiritual and physical safety, and it didn’t end well for us, but we did gain these important competencies because of our 500 year stay there. This is true for individuals as well. Every community we live in, every relationship we have polishes us and adds to our competencies.

Parshas Massei is read during the three weeks of mourning for the Churban, the destruction of the Bais HaMikdash. We are sad for the loss of our national pride, the dispersion of our people, our alienation from Hashem and the manifestations of his closeness to us. At the same time, we should reflect on how far we have come, the areas we have developed, and the strengths we have gathered during our long exile. This will give us comfort and a feeling of purpose for what  we have endured as a people.

A Taste of Torah – Parshas Pinchas

Written by: Rabbi Mordechai Raizman

Coming Together

Our sages tell us that any generation where the Temple was not rebuilt in their time, it is as if it was destroyed in their time. The simple understanding of this statement is that if we haven’t experienced the ultimate redemption yet, it is because the baseless hatred that existed then (which the Talmud tells us led to the destruction of the second Bais Hamikdosh), still exists now.

This statement is hard to comprehend. There were so many generations before us that contained very worthy and righteous people. If the Temple wasn’t rebuilt in their generation, what chance do we have?  The Chofetz Chaim, z”l (Rabbi Israel Mayer Kagan, leader of the Jewish people pre-World War II) who was responsible for a major initiative in learning the laws of Loshon Hora (evil speech ) and was known for his meticulous attention to loving his fellow Jew is a perfect example of such a person, and if he wasn’t successful in experiencing the ultimate redemption, what can we do?

The Sfas Emes (19th century Chasidic Rabbi) explains the statement of our sages in the following manner. Our charge is to be builders. G-d demands of us effort, not perfection and completion. The sages are telling us if the Temple wasn’t built in “your” time that means there was no effort made to be a more sensitive people to eradicate the baseless hatred, and, therefore, we are no different than those living at the time the Bais Hamikdosh was destroyed. However, if we are putting forth effort to love our fellow Jew, then we are a generation that can be worthy of that redemption. 

I once read the following in one of Rabbi Mattisyahu Solomon’s, (the Mashgiach of Lakewood Yeshiva), seferim. It seems in tragic times, we rally and come together. Why do we have to wait for that to happen? It is time to start coming together whether it be for simcha, such as a shalom zachor, or simply calling someone you know to show that you care. Be a part of the community. Let us not wait for the tragedies; let us be pro-active in creating an atmosphere of unity among all Jews. May we merit to be a generation of builders to see the future redemption in our times.

A Taste of Torah – Parshas Balak

Written by: Rabbi Avrohom S. Moller

When Bilaam was commissioned to destroy the Jews with his curses, Hashem forced him to acknowledge the exceptionalism of the Jewish people and the fact that we are deserving of blessings and not curses. Bilaam chafed at this task, but Hashem forced him to do it any way. In his first soliloquy, Bilaam said, “Hashem has seen no iniquity in Jacob and no injustice in Yisroel; therefore, Hashem is always with them and trumpeting of the King is always present.” The Sforno (medieval Italian Chumash commentator) explains that this refers to the fact that whenever we camped and traveled in the desert, we always signaled these transitions by trumpeting.  (Please note that the translation of the Sforno in this rendering differs from Rashi.)

This needs further explanation. Why is this point so significant? That the Jewish people had a system and routine for traveling throughout their years in the desert is a practical matter. Why would it arouse jealousy and admiration in Bilaam’s prophecy?

Rabbi Mordechai Rogow (Rabbi in Lipnishok, Lithuania and Rosh Yeshiva in Bais Medrash L’Torah in Chicago, 1900-1968) explains in his sefer, Ateres Mordechai, that what impressed Bilaam is the fact that the Jewish people maintained their equilibrium in times of challenge and change. While they traveled through the desert, by definition, a temporary situation, they still had a highly organized community and clear expectations. This allowed the individuals to thrive and families to grow because stability and predictability are the foundation of reaching our potential. This characteristic would serve us well as we marched through history suffering unimaginable challenges. We always were able to regroup and maintain our communities even in the ghettos, the DP camps and in the face of relentless persecution.

We are blessed with a great deal of freedom as we live in a democratized world. Individualism is key and highly valued. From the Torah perspective, it is an opportunity for self-expression and pursuing our individual agendas as long as it is in consonance with the Torah. We must remember that a Jew must be part of a Jewish society to realize his full potential. We don’t “go it alone,” we need the structure and the expectation of our fellow community members to live a full Jewish life.

A Taste of Torah – Parshas Chukas

Written by: Rabbi Mordechai Raizman

What Do We Do with Perfection?

In this week’s Torah portion Chukas we learn the laws of the Parah Adumah (the red heifer). One essential part of the details is finding a perfectly red cow. This cow is then totally burned, and its ashes are used to purify those that became impure by being in contact with a dead body. It’s interesting to note that those involved in the purification process of those who are impure become impure as well. This is one of the chukim (law without reason) in the Torah that we can’t fully comprehend.

Rabbi Michel Twerski shared an insight about this mitzvah that contains a deep and profound lesson in how we live our lives. There must be some significance in taking a perfectly red cow and burning it? What could it be? He suggested the following. In life many of us get caught up with the pursuit of perfection. Everything has to be just right. Sometimes that dream of perfection sets us back as we become so focused on the perfect outcome we lose so much in the process itself. Much anxiety and suffering occur because of that elusive pursuit. Sometimes, it actually cripples us to the point where we can’t do anything at all because we think the end result will not be perfect.

The Torah, through the laws of the Parah Adumah, sends us a strong message about how we need to live life. BURN PERFECTION. Obsessing on perfection is not the way on how to live. No human being is supposed to be perfect. That is for angels, not for people.

We all want the best for ourselves and our children. We need to make sure we don’t set up the future generations for failure. False expectations and pursuit of perfection are not healthy options. We need to teach our children a strong work ethic and how to set goals, along with the understanding that failures will come along the way as well. That is how we succeed and grow in life – as human beings who are just fine working hard and building character every day.

A Taste of Torah – Parshas Korach

Written by: Rabbi Avrohom S. Moller

The first part of this week’s parsha deals with the infamous insurrection of Korach and his congregation. Our sages in Pikei Avos describe this conflict with Moshe Rabeinu as the ultimate example of מחלוקת שלא לשם שמים – conflict which is caused by people who do not have pure motives. The contrast is the arguments of Bais Shammai and Bais Hillel which were for pure motives.

It is often difficult to discern what an adversary’s motive is. Often the first rebuttal to a challenge is to accuse one’s adversary of self-serving motives. However, there are some clues which help analyze from where the challenge is really coming. The gemara describes the tremendous respect which Bais Shammai and Bais Hillel displayed to each other even when the halachic debate got quite pitched and tense. There wasn’t any demonizing, disingenuous accusations, or unnecessary escalations. This is because both sides were seeking truth for the right reasons and that is what guided their behavior even during very contentious debates.

Conversely, Korach’s complaint about his own status as a “common” Levite began with an accusation that Moshe and Aron had cornered all the prestige and leadership for themselves and their close family. If Korach had really been looking to right a perceived wrong, he would have argued that he was also deserving of a leadership role. He was, however, motivated by jealousy and his view was that it was a zero-sum game, if he was elevated, Moshe and Aron must lose. This is how we know where his “crusade for his rights” really came from.

Unfortunately, we face challenges and contention in our personal and professional lives. We cannot always change others’ behaviors toward us, but we can monitor our own behavior. Are we being fair and not being accusatory? Are we able to concede that our opponent has merits either in the current argument or otherwise? Have we demonized them to the point that we cannot hear them anymore? These are questions we must ask ourselves to keep ourselves straight during such unsettling situations.

A Taste of Torah – Parshas Sh’lach

Written by: Rabbi Mordechai Raizman

Opening One’s Eyes

In this week’s Torah portion Shelach, we encounter the episode of the spies, 12 leaders of our people who were sent on a mission to explore and examine the land of Israel. Ten of the 12 spies returned with a negative report. These spies rallied the people to accept their report, and, consequently, the Jewish people were punished and could not enter the land of Israel for 40 years.

Last week’s Torah portion concludes with the story of Miriam speaking disparagingly about her brother Moshe, and as a result of her uncomplimentary words, was stricken with tzoraas (a skin ailment). She had to be quarantined for seven days creating a delay in the Jewish people’s traveling schedule.

Rashi comments that these two episodes appear in this order for a reason. He states that our 12 leaders should have learned from Miriam’s experience. However, a natural question arises with this statement. How are these episodes alike since Miriam spoke about a person while the spies spoke about the land.  At first glance, one could say that these two situations are different, but upon further investigation one can see a common thread. Both parties’ descriptions were negative.

From these two incidents, the Torah teaches us a lifelong lesson. Negative speech is unacceptable. If you are speaking harmfully about someone or something that is loshon hora (evil speech). It does not make a difference who or what the recipient is. Our character needs to be more principled. Loshon hora is not only about how it affects the person who is being spoken about but more so on how it affects the speaker. We need to always have a positive outlook on everything in life. Speaking positively in all situations about people, places and things is an important goal to achieve.